Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Peppers

 When in doubt, add cheese to it. Right?? Unless you're vegan, in which case, you probably aren't reading this blog anyway! I found myself with an extra package of miniature peppers on hand and while the health conscious thing to do would be to slice 'em up and eat them plain or even with hummus, I decided something more fun was in store!
With two kinds of cheese (cream cheese and mozzarella), these are absolutely delightful. I kept the rest of the filling simple--just bacon, green onions, and a few spices--in part because I already had these ingredients on hand, but also because for an appetizer like this, less is more. These can be prepped ahead of time and then baked just before serving!
As with a lot of my recipes, make these your own. Skip the bacon and wrap them in prosciutto (dang it! why didn't I do that?!). Add your favorite cheese. Use different spices. The come back here and tell me what you did so that I have some inspiration next time I get overzealous buying mini peppers!

One Year Ago: Barbacoa Tacos and Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
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Three Years Ago: S'Mores Ice Cream Pie and Spinach Artichoke Flatbread Pizzas
Four Years Ago: Spring Greens Dinner Salad and Peach Amaretto Upside Down Cake

Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
-15-20 miniature peppers, stemmed and cut in half lengthwise
-8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
-1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
-1/2 cup cooked bacon pieces
-4 green onions, sliced (green parts only)
-1 tsp garlic powder
-pinch of chili powder
-salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Mix in mozzarella, bacon, garlic powder, chili powder, and bacon. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Use a spoon to fill peppers with a tablespoon of cheese mixture. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot. Serve warm.